Singapore issues travel precaution to Philippines after 'imported' COVID-19 cases

The Singaporean Government has advised its citizens and residents to travel with caution to the Philippines after the number of Filipinos infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city-state rose to nine.

The two recent Filipino infections in Singapore are both classified as imported cases by the Ministry of Health as they tested positive for the disease after traveling to the Philippines.

Consul General Bernie Candolada clarified that the travel advisory does not mean that Singaporeans are prohibited from traveling to the Philippines.

“Travel with caution is simply a reminder for citizens of the degree of risks they are exposed to once they travel to The Philippines. It means that you are not prohibited to travel there but you should be aware of the danger,” he said.

Travelers returning from countries where Singapore has raised a travel advisory will be tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19 at the border or airport.

Discharges, isolations

Two of the Filipino cases have been discharged while seven remain isolated in Singapore hospitals.

The 8th Filipino, identified in the Ministry of Health website as Case 205, is a 30 year-old female who is a Singapore Long Term Visit Pass holder, and had been in the Philippines from 27 February to 6 March. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 14 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The 9th Filipino, labelled as Case 211, is a 35 year-old female is a Singapore Long Term Visit Pass holder. She was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on 14 March morning, and is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID. She is linked to Case 142 a Singapore citizen who is linked to the SAFRA Jurong cluster, the biggest cluster of infection in the country .

Case 205 and Case 211 are both in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Linked cases, Case 172 and Case 184, are also isolated in the same hospital based on the March 11 MOH update.

Meanwhile, Case 102, the second Pinay to get COVID-19 has been discharged from the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) on March 14. She was earlier diagnosed on February 29. She reportedly got infected through her Singaporean employer, the same with Case 108 who was diagnosed on March 2 and works with her in the same household.

Case 108 remains isolated at NTFGH together with the Filipino couple, Case 167 and Case 178, who both visited the Philippines recently in early February.

Precautions

Meanwhile, Filipino domestic workers in Singapore have been advised by their employers and the Philippine Embassy to take extra precautions when taking their day off.

Some workers have been requested to forego their rest days, especially for households with children and senior citizens.

Cousins Alnie Almagro, 53, and Isabel Santianez, 45, either seldom go to Lucky Plaza or reduce the time they spend there.

Both were already in Singapore during the time of SARS and H1N1.

“Ganito na lang, sa ibang lugar na muna kami nagkikita. Pinupuntahan ko siya dito [sa lugar niya],” Alnie shared.

“Dyan na lang ako sa Clementi nagre-remit ng pera, hindi na sa Lucky Plaza. Iwas muna sa mataong lugar. Pero kampante naman kami,” Isabel added.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addressed Singaporeans on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore on 12 March, after the World Health Organization declared the health crisis as a global pandemic.

He reassured everyone that the situation in Singapore is under control and while the economy is taking a hit, the government is doing its best to mitigate the effects of the crisis. The Disease Outbreak Response System Condition remains at Orange, the second highest alert level.

“The situation in Singapore remains under control. We are not going to DORSCON Red. We are not locking down our city...What we’re doing now is to plan ahead for some of these more stringent measures, try them out, and prepare for when we actually need to implement them.” PM Lee said. —Julia Mari Ornedo/JST, GMA News